The present invention relates generally to gaming machines and, more particularly, to a bonus mode play feature for a gaming machine.
Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are most likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting of the machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines available, because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Accordingly, in the competitive gaming machine industry, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to produce new types of games, or enhancements to existing games, which will attract frequent play by enhancing the entertainment value and excitement associated with the game.
One concept which has been successfully employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is the concept of a xe2x80x9csecondaryxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cbonusxe2x80x9d game which may be played in conjunction with a xe2x80x9cbasicxe2x80x9d game. The bonus game may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely different from the basic game, which is entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome of the basic game. The bonus game concept is the subject of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/835,840 [hereinafter xe2x80x9cthe ""840 applicationxe2x80x9d], filed Apr. 23, 1997, assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference. The ""840 application discloses an embodiment wherein the basic game is a reel-type slot machine and the bonus game is a simulated reel-type slot machine implemented on a dot-matrix display. The bonus game is entered upon the appearance of a special symbol combination on the reels of the slot machine in the basic game. In the bonus game, the probability of winning combinations appearing on the reels, or the xe2x80x9chit rate,xe2x80x9d is much greater than that of the basic game. The player is permitted to keep playing and accumulating winnings from the bonus game until a losing trial occurs. Such a bonus game produces a significantly higher level of player excitement than the basic game because it provides a greater expectation of winning than the basic game and is accompanied with more attractive or unusual video displays and/or audio.
Because the bonus game concept offers tremendous advantages in player appeal and excitement relative to other known games, and because such games are attractive to both players and operators, there is a continuing need to develop new types of bonus games to satisfy the demands of players and operators. Preferably, such new bonus games will maintain, or even further enhance, the level of player excitement offered by bonus games heretofore known in the art. The present invention is directed to satisfying these needs.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gaming machine including a processor operable in a basic mode and a bonus mode for controlling game play. In the basic mode, the processor operates to select a basic game outcome from among a plurality of possible basic game outcomes. The possible basic game outcomes include a start-bonus outcome the occurrence of which causes the processor to shift operation from the basic mode to the bonus mode. The processor is operable to define a plurality of player-selectable bonus game outcomes. In the bonus mode, a player selects one or more of the bonus game outcomes and credits are awarded based upon which ones of the bonus game outcomes are selected.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gaming machine including a processor operable to selecting a game outcome from among a number of possible game outcomes. A number of the possible game outcomes are identifiable according to a pay table as winning combinations, whereas a remaining number of the possible game outcomes are identified as apparent losing combinations. The gaming machine includes means for awarding credits upon occurrences of the winning combinations and upon occurrence of at least one of the apparent losing combinations.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gaming machine including a processor operable in a basic mode and a bonus mode for controlling game play. In the basic mode, the processor operates to select a basic game outcome from among a plurality of possible basic game outcomes. The possible basic game outcomes include one or more bonus-resource outcomes the occurrence of which causes the processor to generate a bonus game resource exercisable in a bonus game. The gaming machine includes means for shifting operation of the processor from the basic mode to the bonus mode. The processor is operable to define a plurality of possible bonus game outcomes. In the bonus mode, upon selection of a bonus game outcome, the bonus game resource(s) generated in the basic game may be exercised to affect the bonus game outcome. In one embodiment, where the bonus game outcome would otherwise cause the processor to end the bonus game, an exercise of a bonus game resource in conjunction with the bonus game outcome causes the processor to continue operation in the bonus mode, thereby allowing the player to continue playing the bonus game.